Like your helmet? I was thinking of this today (when horse had BIG spook) and was wondering if anyone wore a vest all the time for safety, like a helmet? I assume that they will protect in a fall while flatting or stadium jumping just as they would over an xc fence. Does it make you feel safer? Is it totally unnecessary?
I am seriously considering doing this just to add to my safety level as I get “ahem” a little older!
Not for every ride, but every time I “jump” (where “jump” is in quotes because we’re currently talking 2’ max on Mr. Blondie :lol:)
There was a woman at a previous barn who had had a bad crash, and wore her vest for every ride.
Didn’t RAyers or Gnep recently post about wearing his EXO vest all the time to get used to it?
Never wear a helmet unless jumping and never wear a vest unless I’m forced too.
I don’t. However, I had a bad fall back in March that didn’t involve jumping that knocked me out for a second and hurt my left hip and shoulder (horse reared unexpectedly with me). I was wearing my jumping vest because I was headed out to ride cross-country – I was actually trying out a horse for sale (needless-to-say, this was not the horse for me). Anyway, the shoulder was out of whack for about a week and the hip actually still hurts a little bit. I can’t imagine how much worse it would have been if I hadn’t been wearing my vest that day. I know that without the helmet I would have been toast, but I think that the vest also helped some too. I probably should wear it to ride all the time, but as a re-rider after 20 years, it’s such a new concept to me that it’s something I can’t seem to force myself to do for every day.
ETA: I always wear a helmet however.
Yes.
I used to ride my old horses bareback without it but that’s about it. For the last 15 years, I couldn’t afford any downtime from my work and I usually lived alone with my horses, which meant I had to be able to take care of things. And so it followed that any extra safety precaution was welcome. I also always wore work gloves and steel-toe boots when handling horses.
But in general, I like wearing the vest. I don’t worry about branches when out on trails and if I have to open a gate where there’s barbed wire, I can lean into it without getting puncture wounds. I also like the extra layer of warmth and wind protection.
I do another sport where a ridiculous amount of protective gear is required (and for good reason), so the vest/helmet seem very minimal to me.
I always wear the vest when I trail ride on my 6 year old.
Nope. Just for jumping solids so either cross country or hunting. Too restrictive and they do affect your position somewhat.
I always wear a hat though.
[QUOTE=cute_lil_fancy_pants_pony;4209454]
Never wear a helmet unless jumping and never wear a vest unless I’m forced too.[/QUOTE]
I’ll bet you are under 21.
I wore mine every ride after I got it for a year. I couldn’t see any downside to it. My horses are all either babies or badly messed up restarts - my vest fits really well and I hardly even know it’s there. I’ve even ridden my dressage test in it on occasion ! I have been leaving it in the barn a few times recently though, as we’ve focused more on dressage, and ponies seem all very settled.
I wear it for every ride. When I started my new guy eventing, I even put it under an old men’s navy blue riding jacket for the warmup and dressage phase- now he is reliable enough that I dont wear it for that but do feel funny without it. Always a helmet too- have known two people who died from head injuries from really stupid falls on their seasoned horses…
I used it for the first few rides on my young OTTB mare after a year layup. And was glad I did. Mine is too bulky and affects my position way too much to use it daily.
no i only wear mine when doing x/c or ht and one day day events
but always wear a hat and good boots
I wear mine every ride. It doesn’t affect my position, as some people say theirs do (maybe type or brand?). I really don’t see why I shouldn’t take advantage of every type of protection I can wear that doesn’t interfere with my riding.
The fact that I have a bunch of newbies and greenies probably has influenced my decision, :sadsmile: but I probably always will wear it going forward.
every time
My husband took the pro-vest argument and I tried to argue the con. The only reasons I could gather for NOT wearing a vest were:
-heat
-convenience
Compare these two small reasons with his Pro-vest list of reasons:
+safety
+health
+not wanting to go back to the hospital
+I’m at the age that when I fall; I don’t bounce, I break.
+the young horse can’t be trusted
+just because we promised to love each other through sickness and health, does NOT mean that we have to test it.
+safety and health (so important, they get to be on the list twice)
I also lost the second argument about $:
When I zip up, I think about how I lost the vest argument. By the time it warms up and molds to my body, I am always glad that I did.
I wear the vest every time I ride.
It is second nature; like helmet or a seatbelt.
I wear helmet ALWAYS and vest with all jumping and hacking. A surgeon I work with spent a week in the Hosital and a month off work after he got bucked off on a trail ride and broke several ribs and got a pneumothorax. The sharp ends of broken ribs can puncture lungs and blood vessels. So yes, I wear my vest a lot.
I usually wear a vest for jumping, even in the ring, and on trail rides. I don’t usually wear one for flat/dressage lessons, and can’t wear one or a helmet for vaulting.
I started wearing my vest on hacks after a bad fall on the trail two years ago. Plus, we need to ride on the road to get to some conditioning trails, so the idea of hitting pavement keeps it in persepctive. That said, yes I also wear it to school/ride xc.
The only time I do not wear a vest is doing flatwork and during stdium at shows, a vest and a jacket at 100 degree is a little to much.
Except for the Sandbox, Vest, I am starting to feel naked without it, like the seatbelt, feels strange to sit in a car without it.
Helmet the same.
Steeltoes when ever I handle horses
Nope.
I only used to wear it when schooling or competing cross country. However, when breaking our one pony, I wore it every ride for the first few weeks because he was a wee bit cold backed. 
I had pretty major kidney surgery 5 weeks ago and wore my vest for my first ride back on Friday. More so to protect the incisions in case anything freak happened.
It’s the first time I’ve really been nervous to get back on a horse after surgery…but I had some complications 2 weeks after surgery, which resulted in passing out, hitting my head on a rock, getting a concussion, and spending 2 days in ICU waiting for an angiogram…I’m feeling a bit mortal right now!
And yes, I am cleared to ride…by my GP who knows I’ve been desperate to get back in the saddle. At this point, I should probably just wear a vest and helmet all the time. :winkgrin:
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
